Mr Bandt said the link between extreme weather events and global warming needs to be recognised.

"Global warming is the biggest threat to Australian life," he said.

"I don't want every summer, let alone every spring, for us to be worrying about whether we are going to see these kind of bushfires again, to have to worry about threats to people's property and threats to people's safety.

No one anywhere should seek to politicise any human tragedy, let alone a bushfire on this scale.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt

"That is what we're living through at the moment.

"I know it's uncomfortable to have a discussion about it, but I think it's our job as politicians.

"The rest of the country's looking at New South Wales, worried about what is happening and... what we should be saying is, 'what can we do to stop this happening again?'

"I think given that Parliament's about to resume shortly and global warming is on the agenda for debate, we should be talking about how we as politicians can do everything we can to protect the Australian way of life."